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Recent Immigration
News
:-
Student Category
: 07
December 2010:-
Government
sets out proposals
for major reform of
the student visa
system
EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS:-
Tougher entrance
criteria, limits on
work and an end to
students staying in
the UK to look for a
job are just some of
the changes proposed
by Immigration
Minister Damian
Green today as part
of a shake-up of the
student visa system.
Launching a public
consultation on the
reform of Tier 4 of
the points-based
system, the Home
Office also revealed
that 41 per cent of
students coming
through this route
were studying
courses below degree
level.
Damian Green
said:
'I believe
attracting talented
students from abroad
is vital to the UK,
but we must be more
selective about who
can come here and
how long they can
stay.
'People imagine
students to be those
who come here for a
few years to study
at university and
then go home - that
is not always the
case. Too many
students coming to
study below degree
level have been
coming here to live
and work, rather
than studying. We
need to stop this
abuse.
'Today's proposals
follow a major
review of the
system, and are
aimed at a more
selective system
and, crucially,
reducing the numbers
to meet our target
of reducing net
migration to
sustainable levels.'
The consultation
will run for 8
weeks, seeking views
on a range of
measures to reduce
the number of
students that can
come into the UK.
Proposals include:
¦reducing the number
of people coming to
the UK to study
below degree level;
¦introducing a
tougher English
language
requirement;
¦ensuring that
students wishing to
extend their studies
show evidence of
academic
progression;
¦limiting students'
entitlements to work
and their ability to
bring in dependants;
and
¦improving the
accreditation
process for
education providers,
alongside more
rigorous
inspections.
The government has
committed to making
changes across the
immigration system
to achieve its
overall aim of
reducing net
migration, in
addition to the
introduction of an
annual limit on
workers from outside
Europe. The student
route accounts for
two-thirds of
migrants entering
the UK each year,
which is why it is a
key focus for
reform.
Damian Green
added:
'This government
wants high-calibre
students with the
genuine desire to
study to come to our
country to come for
temporary periods,
and then return
home. We want to
hear views of our
proposals from a
wide range of people
so that our reforms
meet this
objective.'
The new proposals
could see Tier 4
restricted to those
studying largely
degree-level courses
and to child
students, unless the
institution is a
Highly Trusted
sponsor. English
language competence
could become the key
indicator of
someone's
eligibility to
complete a
higher-level course,
and all Tier 4
applicants will have
to pass a secure
English language
test showing
competence at
intermediary level
B2 - a step up from
the B1 currently
required.
The drive to ensure
that students return
overseas after their
course finishes will
mean students will
have to leave the UK
and apply for a new
visa to further
their studies, and
show evidence of
progression to a
higher course. It
will also see the
closure of the
post-study route
under Tier 1.
In addition, the
government will look
at ways to improve
the inspection and
accreditation of the
education sector, to
ensure that the
courses offered by
private institutions
of further and
higher education are
of the highest
quality
FOR EMPLOYER:-
MANDATORY
REQUIREMENT BY THE
UK GOVERNMENT: The
Points Based System
requires all
employers and
educational
institutions that
wish to employ
non-EEA migrant
workers or sponsor
overseas students to
be registered as
licenced sponsors
with the UK Border
Agency. Once
licenced the sponsor
is able to issue a
sponsorship
certificate to the
prospective migrant
worker or student.
The certificate acts
as an undertaking to
meet the conditions
of the scheme and
places very
significant
responsibility on
the sponsor.
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